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GENESIS 44
Joseph’s accusations and Judah’s response -- (DATE: Around 1661 before Christ)
DISCOVER Genesis 44: As the feast lasted long into the day, the brothers were allowed to stay at Joseph’s house for the night, which allowed Joseph to play one last trick on them. He told his steward to again replace the money his brothers had brought in their sacks once they were filled to the brim with food and, in addition, to put his personal silver cup in the bag of the youngest one. -- After his brothers had left early the next morning, Joseph commanded his steward to follow them (with his men) and once he had them before him, accuse them of theft and of repaying his hospitality with evil. The steward did as his lord had commanded him, and soon confronted the sons of Israel, who, upon hearing the charge, were of course indignant. In their foolishness they not only refuted the steward’s claim, but in the certainty of their innocence proclaimed that should he really find the cup in their bags, the person, in whose sack it was, should be put to death on the spot, and all the rest would become his master’s slaves. The steward, however, answered them that it would suffice for the culprit alone to become his master’s slave, so that the rest of them could move on in peace. -- When the steward, after a search through their belongings beginning with the oldest, produced the cup from Benjamin’s bag, the brothers tore their clothes in anguish and dismay. Unwilling to return to their father without the youngest of their group, the brothers packed their scattered belongings and followed the steward back to Joseph’s house. -- When they arrived there, Joseph was already waiting for them. Again they all threw themselves to the ground before him, and Joseph continued his charade by taunting them and asking how they could have done something so foolish, when he, as a man of his standing, was clearly able to divine their evil intentions. Indeed, Judah did not try to refute this claim, as he confessed that it was God that had revealed their guilt. Therefore he proclaimed that not only Benjamin, but all of them would become his slaves. Joseph pressed on with his ploy, however, and declined this offer, telling them that he would only take the culprit, in whose bag the cup had been found. The rest of them were free to go back to their home and father. -- Seeing how amicable the high Egyptian official was, Judah, thinking of his oath to his father, requested, in complete obeisance, to speak with him quietly. When Joseph allowed him, Judah approached and, in hushed tones, told him of their time with their father after they had returned from Egypt. How Jacob had been loath to even let Benjamin come here after he had already lost his dear Joseph and how Judah had only been able to convince him to let the boy come along with them on the oath that he would take the complete responsibility for him. Thus, in a last ditch effort, he pleaded with the Egyptian official, who was equal to Pharaoh himself, to please let his brother go back to their father, so he wouldn’t die of heartbreak should he not return. In exchange Judah himself would bear his brother’s sentence and become a slave for the rest of his life.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we thank you that you gave Joseph wisdom to help his brothers (through their speaker Judah) to confess their guilt towards you because of what they had done to their brother Joseph. Thank you also that you helped Judah assume the responsibility for this evil to the extent that he was ready to suffer the consequences of their guilt by substituting for his younger brother. In this you made Judah foreshadow what your Son did much later, when he became man as Jesus Christ, born as a descendant of this Judah according to the flesh. Like Judah’s readiness to suffer for committed sin instead of his brother(s), you, Lord Jesus, also were ready to suffer by substitution for the sins of the Sons of Jacob and indeed for the sins of the whole world. Thank you that you became our Savior and Lord through your act of vicarious and holy love on the Cross of Calvary. And we praise you that we can see this Gospel already in the life of Joseph and of his brothers. Amen.
QUESTION 44: What trick did Joseph use to lead his brothers to confess their guilt towards God?